Production Credit: Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie ['90s Edition]

Well, I don’t really remember the session too much because there was like 7 or 8 of those. Ma$e loved the beat, but the way Puff wanted him to attack the record, we was having problems. That’s the one record I can honestly say that was Puffy’s idea. We did Homecoming in ’96 in D.C. and the DJ Kool record ["Let Me Clear My Throat"] was out. Puff heard it and was like, “Yo, I want to redo that DJ Kool record.” And I was like, “Not me.” He said, “Nah, I need you to do this. You’re the only one that’s going to give it the swag and do the extra shit I need.” When they did “Juicy,” those are the type of records you could hear on WBLS. You could always hear the Debarge version. You wasn’t hearing that “Hypnotize” sample unless you was a jazz fan. I would not do it. Finally, he said please, please, please. I just looped it up, Ma$e came in, wrote the first three verses. Puff came back like, “D-Dot I need it to be happy, friendly.” I just happened to be working in the other room with Kelly Price. I asked Kelly, “Can you help me with this.” She came in an hour or two later, she sang it to me. [It was] more catchy than anything I did. That’s the perfect example of Puff being a producer. He didn’t actually sit down and make the beat, but when I sent him that song, he heard Kelly’s vocals. Now Ma$e has a clearer picture on how to write. So Ma$e came back with three more verses and those are the ones you heard.

What is your relationship with Puff now? Y’all still talk?

Yeah, we still best of friends. Musically, we didn’t click like that. That’s one of the reasons why I left. I just didn’t wanna do some of the moves he was making musically. I wanted to stay with a certain way I wanted to do things, but we are still friends. We just haven’t worked together in a long time.

What about with Kanye ’cause I know you were a big part of his start?

When we see each other we shake each other hands and say what’s up, but he didn’t do right by his O.G. I didn’t do nothing to him. I didn’t rob him. The one song he didn’t get credit for was a Nas song we produced and the only reason that happened is because we did the record in 1998 and I don’t think that shit came out ’til the 2000s. By then neither one of us dealt with Columbia [Records] so they didn’t call us with the credits. I always knew he was gonna be genius. That’s why I hooked up with him, but as far as his respect factor, as far his loyalty factor, he sucks. Even in his [VH1]Behind the Music he goes from workin’ with No I.D. in Chicago to Jay-Z. What happened to the years when you was doing Foxy, Nas, Madd Rapper, Biggie, Puff and Shyne? When your moms was comin’ up here and we was lookin’ for apartments. All that’s missing. He went straight from No I.D. to Jay-Z. No I.D. didn’t put you on. I put him on. Even Pete Rock. He did a fuckin’ [Peter] Rosenberg interview. “How’d you meet Kanye? I met Kanye through D. Dot. Busta, how’d you meet Kanye? I met him through D.Dot.” Raekwon all these people met Kanye through me. Jay-z met Kanye through me. Hip-hop and all them met Kanye because of D. Dot. That’s the only disrespectful part. He’s definitely dope, definitely a good student. [He] made hip-hop and music history. I respect him.

So what about The Madd Rapper is that something you still want to do?

I was gonna put out an album this July, but I just don’t have enough resources to get it really poppin’ the way I would like to. I got plenty of records done. People still ask for it and with all the hate and all the bullshit goin’ on. XXL and couple of people put out the “Dear Hip-hop” record that I put out. I put out a couple of records. Right now I’m just hooked on that. I got a artist named Wais P. We’ve been moving and shakin’ with him. We just got a record added to Shade 45 called “Pendejos” featuring Big. I took a little sample from Biggie’s music. I’m still working on Madd Rapper, still doing interludes. Matter [of] fact, I just did a joint with Fred Da God Son and Freeway. I just need somebody else to help push the product and at least get the music out properly.

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It’s a different era, musically….. So I can understand what Dot is saying; he needs some new blood helping him at his label, Crazy Cat.

Fireforreal

D- Dot was and I bet still real nice with the beats. He better be still eating off the Life after death alone. That joint did 10X platinum. Unless puff jerked him like the rest.

M.I.S.C

hold up!!! i distinctly remember kanye shouting him out at the end of “last call” on college dropout saying that he wouldn’tve been on if he didn’t do the ghost production for d-dot. that’s probably even the source of info for the interviewer.

if anything, as far as the behind the music thing, d-dot should take that issue up with vh1. i’m sure there are alot of things that were left out of ALL the behind the music episodes.

614

yeah he did shout him out but what D Dot is saying is that No I.D. is NOT his mentor that he is, he is the one that introduce Kanye to No I.D. Jay, Puff, Raekwon but Kanye would say that No I.D is his mentor

M.I.S.C

nah, bro. he’s saying that all the east-coast rappers kanye started working with he met thru d-dot. d-dot was in NY while No ID was in the chi with ye’; so how could dot have possibly mentored kanye at that time?